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Pern #14
The Master Harper of Pern: The Story of Pern's Greatest Harper
In a time when no Thread has fallen for centuries - when, indeed, many are beginning to dare to hope that Thread will never fall again - a boy is born to Harper Hall. His name is Robinton, and he is destined to be one of the most famous and beloved leaders Pern has ever known.
It is a perilous time for harpers. They sing of Thread, yet more and more people are beginning to doubt the return of that deadly scourge. They teach reading, writing, history, but Fax - who hates the harpers in general - is determined to keep his growing area of influence free of the learning that might sow unrest. And they extol the dragonriders, whom many view increasingly as a drain on the resources of the Holds. Now harpers are being turned away from the holds; and, worse yet, they are being derided, attacked, even beaten.
It is the climate of unrest that Robinton will come into his own. For despite the tragedies that beset his own life, he continues to believe in music and in the dragons, and is determined to save his beloved Pern from itself. . . so that the dragonriders can be ready to fly against the dreaded Thread when it at last returns!
listening length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
It is a perilous time for harpers. They sing of Thread, yet more and more people are beginning to doubt the return of that deadly scourge. They teach reading, writing, history, but Fax - who hates the harpers in general - is determined to keep his growing area of influence free of the learning that might sow unrest. And they extol the dragonriders, whom many view increasingly as a drain on the resources of the Holds. Now harpers are being turned away from the holds; and, worse yet, they are being derided, attacked, even beaten.
It is the climate of unrest that Robinton will come into his own. For despite the tragedies that beset his own life, he continues to believe in music and in the dragons, and is determined to save his beloved Pern from itself. . . so that the dragonriders can be ready to fly against the dreaded Thread when it at last returns!
listening length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
570 people are currently reading
5242 people want to read
About the author
Anne McCaffrey
478 books7,766 followersAnne Inez McCaffrey was an American writer known for the Dragonriders of Pern science fiction series. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction (Best Novella, Weyr Search, 1968) and the first to win a Nebula Award (Best Novella, Dragonrider, 1969). Her 1978 novel The White Dragon became one of the first science-fiction books to appear on the New York Times Best Seller list.
In 2005 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey its 22nd Grand Master, an annual award to living writers of fantasy and science fiction. She was inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on 17 June 2006. She also received the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her work in 2007.
In 2005 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey its 22nd Grand Master, an annual award to living writers of fantasy and science fiction. She was inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on 17 June 2006. She also received the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her work in 2007.
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April 21, 2018
I've figured out why Anne McCaffrey frequently stated that the Pern novels should be read in publication order rather than by their internal chronology. It's because she couldn't be arsed to keep accurate notes about the series and didn't want her readers to catch on to that fact by noticing the errors.
My favorite example of this is the rapid progress of Piemur and Jancis' relationship. At the end of The Renegades of Pern they finally slept together for the first time. Then the workers at Landing woke up the Deus in Machina who told them the story of Dragonsdawn. In the first few chapters of the next book, All the Weyrs of Pern, someone asks Piemur when the wedding will be. Because it's been all of a couple of days and they're engaged now. There's something to be said for seducing your girlfriend in the horse pasture, it seems.
At first glance, you wouldn't expect Master Robinton to be a continuity error. He's one of McCaffrey's favorite boyfriends (along with Prince Jaxom the Annoying) and appears in every book set in the Ninth Pass. She seemed to have a pretty good grip on his timeline. At least she did until she decided to write The Masterharper of Pern and warp his entire life into unrecognizability.
What are the facts about Robinton's life pre-1998? We can't ask McCaffrey because she's dead, but her answers would probably be a little iffy even if she were alive. So let's ask someone who's read more Pern novels than she should admit to. That would be me. Hi.
Master Robinton was the leader of the Harper Hall in the late Second Long Interval/Early Ninth Pass. His father was Petiron, who ended his days working at Half-Circle Sea Hold which was conveniently located as far away from the Harper Hall as he could get. Robinton's preferred wine was Benden red, which helped save his life when he had a heart attack at the queen's open mating flight at Ista Weyr. He ended his days at Cove Hold on the Southern Continent where he, D'ram, and Lytol were in charge of the excavations at the ancient Landing site. He died along with his fire lizard Zair and Aivas after the highly improbable events of All the Weyrs of Pern. He was an older gent, most likely in his fifties at the beginning of Dragonflight which means he was around 70-80 when he died. On the whole he was a likeable character, a fatherly figure to the harpers, a steadfast friend to the Weyrs, a man who was passionate about gathering and disseminating knowledge to everyone.
And then Masterharper of Pern comes along to stomp all over that last statement.
The first grand offense against continuity committed by this novel is having Robinton's mother be a member of the Harper Hall. Who remembers why Menolly was such a big deal when she became an apprentice harper? All together, class: It was because girls were not accepted as Harpers! In the early Pern novels a woman's lot was not a fulfilling one for ladies with career ambitions. Most women were wives and mothers; the lucky ones who were Searched were able to do more with their lives than be brood mares. This is an example of McCaffrey trying to retcon Pern into some kind of utopia which is a big reason why all the novels after the first half of Renegades of Pern sucked.
But I can deal (barely) with Mastersinger Merelan. McCaffrey begins to attempt to explain why the number of women in the Hall dropped to zero near the end of the book, but the problem is she spent too much time on the bullshit at the beginning when she turned Robinton into the prototype Golden Child. For you see, my friends, young Robinton was a child prodigy who could play every instrument perfectly by the time he was three, who could write music when he was five, who rewrote the Teaching Ballads, and also sang the Question Song for the Benden Weyrleaders. (Astute readers will recall that in Dragonflight Robinton clearly stated that he had just rediscovered this ballad before he sang it to Lessa.)
Just to cram his wonderfulness down our throat even more, McCaffrey adds daddy issues. Petiron was so wrapped up in his composing and his wonderfully gifted soprano wife that he just didn't have the time to care about his son. He basically ignored Robinton for the first five or six years of his life, which sent Robinton straight into a borderline unhealthy relationship with his mother. The majority of the book deals with this. Because that's what we really wanted to know about the Masterharper, right? We wanted to hear—in excruciating detail, no less—all about the freaky weird love triangle between Merelan, Petiron, and Robinton. The one that ended up with Petiron and Robinton arguing over who loved her more after she died? Yeah, that one.
The second major continuity error comes when young Robie first meets a dragon. He's able to talk to it. Astute readers once again may remember that Robinton couldn't hear dragons until he had his heart attack and Ramoth and Mnementh started talking to him to keep him alive. After that he heard them a couple more times, but only when they contacted him directly. (These same astute readers will also remember that only powerful queen riders like Lessa could hear all dragons in addition to their own. Men could only talk to their own unless circumstances warranted, like the heart attack.)
With the introduction of dragons comes the name-dropping segment. Robinton meets every single person who's important in the later Pern novels. He runs into young Raid, later Lord Holder of Benden when he's just a stuffy youth. His best friend is young Falloner who later becomes F'lon, father of F'lar and F'nor. He encounters C'gan, later known as the first rider to die of Threadscore in the Ninth Pass. He works at High Reaches for a while where he meets and immediately dislikes Fax. In later chapters he sees Lessa as a toddler in a scene that's not completely shoehorned in at all.
Oh and while I'm thinking of it, McCaffrey rips off Menolly's table-walking scene at the end of Dragonsinger for Robinton's own promotion to journeyman. At fifteen, which was supposed to be obscenely young. Because going back and checking on Menolly's age at her own promotion (14) would be too hard.
Then there's the pointless marriage that's only there to add some tragedy to Robinton's life (as if this hatchet job disguised as a novel wasn't tragedy enough). He meets Kassia at High Reaches and immediately falls in love with her like every other guy in the Hold. However, none of the others are Mr. Perfect Robinton, so they can't make her forget her dead husband and fall for them. But, alas, they decided that they should go on a late autumn cruise for their honeymoon. I would like to point out that Kassia was a sailor raised in a family of sailors. This is important because late autumn is a dangerous time to be out on open water in northern climes. You would think someone with sailing in her blood would know that. Even I know that and my family hasn't been on the water in three generations.
Long story short, the newlywed couple runs into one of these dangerous autumn storms and Kassia catches a chill which later kills her. Robinton gets mopey and goes back to the Harper Hall where he ends up working with the Masterharper until his inevitable promotion.
And this is where the real story should begin. Fax is taking over the northwest, hold by hold, and the other Lord Holders are doing nothing. F'lon is killed in a fight that is completely ripped off from the climactic wedding knife fight in Dragonquest (it's even at the same flippin' Hold for cryin' out loud!) and the Weyr folds in on itself. Fear grips the continent as society begins a slow, downward spiral. This is the kind of situation that breeds heroes. What is Bargen, future Lord Holder of High Reaches doing as he hides with his supporters in the abandoned High Reaches Weyr? How are F'lar and Mnementh doing over in Benden as they chafe against R'gul and Jora's mismanagement? Why won't the other Lord Holders join forces against Fax? How does the Harper Hall deal with all these issues in their role as the mediating and educating force of society? What's up with the spies?
Hell if I know. The meat of the story is handwaved away so that we can get to the gristle masquerading as juicy bits. Like, did you know that Robinton was actually Camo's father? But he couldn't love his birth son because Camo was a little slow and therefore not smart enough to warrant paternal love or attention. (The obvious parallels to Petiron are simultaneously ham-handed and ignored by our Lady Author which is a feat I wouldn't have believed if I hadn't read it with my own eyes.) But then Sebell comes along and Robinton transfers all his fatherly affection to him. For you see, Sebell is the son of Robinton's mother's cousin. This is clear when he demonstrates the family tendency towards annoying precocity. (He also steals Menolly's multiple pipes several years before she made them on the other side of the continent.)
The novel finally grinds to a halt when Robinton gets word that dragonriders are going to Ruatha hold. In a moment of blinding imbecility, he decides that he's going to disguise himself as a drudge so he can see what's going to happen. How did he know something was going to happen? Apparently precognition comes with the title of Masterharper.
This is the point where I uttered a vile profanity and closed the book. Do yourself a favor, pretend the Pern series ends after Dragonsdawn. You'll save yourself a lot of heartbreak.
My favorite example of this is the rapid progress of Piemur and Jancis' relationship. At the end of The Renegades of Pern they finally slept together for the first time. Then the workers at Landing woke up the Deus in Machina who told them the story of Dragonsdawn. In the first few chapters of the next book, All the Weyrs of Pern, someone asks Piemur when the wedding will be. Because it's been all of a couple of days and they're engaged now. There's something to be said for seducing your girlfriend in the horse pasture, it seems.
At first glance, you wouldn't expect Master Robinton to be a continuity error. He's one of McCaffrey's favorite boyfriends (along with Prince Jaxom the Annoying) and appears in every book set in the Ninth Pass. She seemed to have a pretty good grip on his timeline. At least she did until she decided to write The Masterharper of Pern and warp his entire life into unrecognizability.
What are the facts about Robinton's life pre-1998? We can't ask McCaffrey because she's dead, but her answers would probably be a little iffy even if she were alive. So let's ask someone who's read more Pern novels than she should admit to. That would be me. Hi.
Master Robinton was the leader of the Harper Hall in the late Second Long Interval/Early Ninth Pass. His father was Petiron, who ended his days working at Half-Circle Sea Hold which was conveniently located as far away from the Harper Hall as he could get. Robinton's preferred wine was Benden red, which helped save his life when he had a heart attack at the queen's open mating flight at Ista Weyr. He ended his days at Cove Hold on the Southern Continent where he, D'ram, and Lytol were in charge of the excavations at the ancient Landing site. He died along with his fire lizard Zair and Aivas after the highly improbable events of All the Weyrs of Pern. He was an older gent, most likely in his fifties at the beginning of Dragonflight which means he was around 70-80 when he died. On the whole he was a likeable character, a fatherly figure to the harpers, a steadfast friend to the Weyrs, a man who was passionate about gathering and disseminating knowledge to everyone.
And then Masterharper of Pern comes along to stomp all over that last statement.
The first grand offense against continuity committed by this novel is having Robinton's mother be a member of the Harper Hall. Who remembers why Menolly was such a big deal when she became an apprentice harper? All together, class: It was because girls were not accepted as Harpers! In the early Pern novels a woman's lot was not a fulfilling one for ladies with career ambitions. Most women were wives and mothers; the lucky ones who were Searched were able to do more with their lives than be brood mares. This is an example of McCaffrey trying to retcon Pern into some kind of utopia which is a big reason why all the novels after the first half of Renegades of Pern sucked.
But I can deal (barely) with Mastersinger Merelan. McCaffrey begins to attempt to explain why the number of women in the Hall dropped to zero near the end of the book, but the problem is she spent too much time on the bullshit at the beginning when she turned Robinton into the prototype Golden Child. For you see, my friends, young Robinton was a child prodigy who could play every instrument perfectly by the time he was three, who could write music when he was five, who rewrote the Teaching Ballads, and also sang the Question Song for the Benden Weyrleaders. (Astute readers will recall that in Dragonflight Robinton clearly stated that he had just rediscovered this ballad before he sang it to Lessa.)
Just to cram his wonderfulness down our throat even more, McCaffrey adds daddy issues. Petiron was so wrapped up in his composing and his wonderfully gifted soprano wife that he just didn't have the time to care about his son. He basically ignored Robinton for the first five or six years of his life, which sent Robinton straight into a borderline unhealthy relationship with his mother. The majority of the book deals with this. Because that's what we really wanted to know about the Masterharper, right? We wanted to hear—in excruciating detail, no less—all about the freaky weird love triangle between Merelan, Petiron, and Robinton. The one that ended up with Petiron and Robinton arguing over who loved her more after she died? Yeah, that one.
The second major continuity error comes when young Robie first meets a dragon. He's able to talk to it. Astute readers once again may remember that Robinton couldn't hear dragons until he had his heart attack and Ramoth and Mnementh started talking to him to keep him alive. After that he heard them a couple more times, but only when they contacted him directly. (These same astute readers will also remember that only powerful queen riders like Lessa could hear all dragons in addition to their own. Men could only talk to their own unless circumstances warranted, like the heart attack.)
With the introduction of dragons comes the name-dropping segment. Robinton meets every single person who's important in the later Pern novels. He runs into young Raid, later Lord Holder of Benden when he's just a stuffy youth. His best friend is young Falloner who later becomes F'lon, father of F'lar and F'nor. He encounters C'gan, later known as the first rider to die of Threadscore in the Ninth Pass. He works at High Reaches for a while where he meets and immediately dislikes Fax. In later chapters he sees Lessa as a toddler in a scene that's not completely shoehorned in at all.
Oh and while I'm thinking of it, McCaffrey rips off Menolly's table-walking scene at the end of Dragonsinger for Robinton's own promotion to journeyman. At fifteen, which was supposed to be obscenely young. Because going back and checking on Menolly's age at her own promotion (14) would be too hard.
Then there's the pointless marriage that's only there to add some tragedy to Robinton's life (as if this hatchet job disguised as a novel wasn't tragedy enough). He meets Kassia at High Reaches and immediately falls in love with her like every other guy in the Hold. However, none of the others are Mr. Perfect Robinton, so they can't make her forget her dead husband and fall for them. But, alas, they decided that they should go on a late autumn cruise for their honeymoon. I would like to point out that Kassia was a sailor raised in a family of sailors. This is important because late autumn is a dangerous time to be out on open water in northern climes. You would think someone with sailing in her blood would know that. Even I know that and my family hasn't been on the water in three generations.
Long story short, the newlywed couple runs into one of these dangerous autumn storms and Kassia catches a chill which later kills her. Robinton gets mopey and goes back to the Harper Hall where he ends up working with the Masterharper until his inevitable promotion.
And this is where the real story should begin. Fax is taking over the northwest, hold by hold, and the other Lord Holders are doing nothing. F'lon is killed in a fight that is completely ripped off from the climactic wedding knife fight in Dragonquest (it's even at the same flippin' Hold for cryin' out loud!) and the Weyr folds in on itself. Fear grips the continent as society begins a slow, downward spiral. This is the kind of situation that breeds heroes. What is Bargen, future Lord Holder of High Reaches doing as he hides with his supporters in the abandoned High Reaches Weyr? How are F'lar and Mnementh doing over in Benden as they chafe against R'gul and Jora's mismanagement? Why won't the other Lord Holders join forces against Fax? How does the Harper Hall deal with all these issues in their role as the mediating and educating force of society? What's up with the spies?
Hell if I know. The meat of the story is handwaved away so that we can get to the gristle masquerading as juicy bits. Like, did you know that Robinton was actually Camo's father? But he couldn't love his birth son because Camo was a little slow and therefore not smart enough to warrant paternal love or attention. (The obvious parallels to Petiron are simultaneously ham-handed and ignored by our Lady Author which is a feat I wouldn't have believed if I hadn't read it with my own eyes.) But then Sebell comes along and Robinton transfers all his fatherly affection to him. For you see, Sebell is the son of Robinton's mother's cousin. This is clear when he demonstrates the family tendency towards annoying precocity. (He also steals Menolly's multiple pipes several years before she made them on the other side of the continent.)
The novel finally grinds to a halt when Robinton gets word that dragonriders are going to Ruatha hold. In a moment of blinding imbecility, he decides that he's going to disguise himself as a drudge so he can see what's going to happen. How did he know something was going to happen? Apparently precognition comes with the title of Masterharper.
This is the point where I uttered a vile profanity and closed the book. Do yourself a favor, pretend the Pern series ends after Dragonsdawn. You'll save yourself a lot of heartbreak.
July 17, 2018
I remember Robinton, Masterharper of Pern always being one of my favorite characters. Rereading this just emphasized that fact. This is the story of his life from a newborn until a bit after he becomes the Masterharper of Pern.
He is an incredible character with a wonderful story. His mother and father are both talented musically, which enhances the musical talent in him that he is a prodigy. He is close with his mother and really has no relationship with his father. His father is jealous of him because of the time he takes with his mother. The people in the Harper Hall pretty much all raise him. He turns out to be an incredible person, an amazing talent and one who can speak to dragons.
He goes through a lot as he grows up and the story is never dull. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the coming books. It definitely brought back all the love I had for these books. The previous books were alright, but this one shows the real talent of Anne McCaffrey and why the stories of Pern are so captivating and loved.
He is an incredible character with a wonderful story. His mother and father are both talented musically, which enhances the musical talent in him that he is a prodigy. He is close with his mother and really has no relationship with his father. His father is jealous of him because of the time he takes with his mother. The people in the Harper Hall pretty much all raise him. He turns out to be an incredible person, an amazing talent and one who can speak to dragons.
He goes through a lot as he grows up and the story is never dull. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the coming books. It definitely brought back all the love I had for these books. The previous books were alright, but this one shows the real talent of Anne McCaffrey and why the stories of Pern are so captivating and loved.
December 26, 2016
A book I wanted to love -- it's about Robinton! -- but found incredibly frustrating instead. Between the historical inconsistencies with books that came out both before and after (how can he be teaching students about a document that was lost and forgotten for over 1500 years?) and the attempt to make things fit entirely too neatly, the parts I liked (his childhood and relationship with his parents, which was very well done, and his marriage, which was as well) were overshadowed by the parts that made me grind my teeth.
July 25, 2022
While I love the dragons in the Pern books its nice to read something different in the series. This one is that different story. Nice fun read and a great addition to the Pern series. Very recommended
December 14, 2015
Thirteenth in the chronological order for the Pern fantasy / science fiction series and revolving around dragonriders and harpers. The focus is on Robinton, a harper who goes on to greatness. The stories are a mess in following a chronological order. It's one reason I undertook a re-read of the series. Click this link if you want to explore my version.
My Take
This one is a biography which provides the background for the three primary stories of the Pern series: Dragonflight , 14, Dragonquest , 15, and then The White Dragon at 17. (The three books in the Harper Hall subseries take place between Dragonquest and The White Dragon.)
It's Robinton's background, the forces that shaped him, and how he came to be Masterharper of Pern. In some ways, Robinton is the pivotal character in this last half of the series. Yes, I know that F'lar and Lessa and the dragons are the whole point of it, but it's Robinton who connects everyone on Pern, who makes Pern and the Pernese mean something to me.
Don't get me wrong, I adore the dragonriders; they're what pulled me into the series in the first place, and I can't get enough about them. That said, the different factions of dragonriders have their point-of-view, there are the Lord Holders, and the craftsmen with their particular angles.
The fostering system finds the Lords sending their sons and some daughters to other Holds to learn how that Lord handles things. Those boys who are of the Blood have the chance to become the Lord Holder when the current Lord dies because the Conclave votes in the heir they believe will be the best ruler. The girls are sent out to find husbands, which is a bit of a comedown from the crew who came in with Dragonsdawn , 1. Having a craft based in your hold is prestigious and profitable, and fortunately, the craftspeople are also autonomous. It's a relatively good system with apprentices and journeymen learning their craft, whatever it may be. Only a complacency has crept in.
I wanna smack Petiron up one side and down the other, repeatedly. He's such a jerk. He has the most amazing son — writing compositions since he was three that the Hall has been sending out ever since. And I do adore how well the Harper Hall maneuvers around him while respecting that jerk.
It's a good bit of history of Robinton's birth, family life, education, loves, his exposure to the various holds, and the rise of anti-Harper malice with an explanation of other characters who play roles in the coming stories, from F'lon, F'lar and F'nor's father; Camo; Sebell; the man who discovered Menolly's abilities; and, a set-up of the Lord Holders. As well as the rise of Fax, and how he got his start in conquering Pern. It's a good set-up for events in Dragonflight .
The Story
Too many no longer believe Thread will fall and Harpers are falling into disrepute, derided, attacked, even beaten. The educators of Pern, they are being turned away from teaching the people of Pern their rights even as Fax conquers Hold after Hold, murdering as he goes.
It's a world the colonists would never recognize on too many counts. A world Robinton is determined to save.
The Characters
The characters range through the years, and I haven't made a distinction as to when they appear.
Robinton is a baby being born at the start. A boy who will become the glue that holds Pern together and a brilliant musician and politician with a taste for wine and the ladies. MasterComposer Petiron is an exacting harper and Rob's father — and quite jealous of Merelan, Rob's mother and a MasterSinger, spending any time with his own son.
The Harper Hall is…
…where Pern's musicians and healers are taught and is beholden to Fort Hold. The harpers are entertainers, news broadcasters, silent diplomats, judges, and teachers. MasterHarper Gennell is the leader; Betrice is a healer and his wife; Sirrie is another healer along with Ginia, a MasterHealer. Oldive is Ginia's assistant. Washell is the Master who teaches the youngest; Kubisa is another teacher. Lorra is the cook. Master Ogolly, the Archivist, teaches musical notations and the value of the mechanics of notes. Master Bosler teaches gitar. Master Gorazde teaches drums. Severeid is another master. Nip Kinsale is Gennell's spy who, well, nips in and out to rescue people.
Libby, Curtos, Lexey (Bosler's daughter), and Barba are more of the children; Rulyar is Searched (he becomes R'yar). Londik is senior boy soprano. Silvina is Lorra's daughter. Camo is the son Silvina bears. Saltor, the head guard, and Emfor, his burly assistant, are lent by Groghe to teach the harpers self-defense and how to hide their trail.
Halanna is a new student from Ista Hold housed with Isla, a foster mother for students from outside the Hall. Halibran is Halanna's father; her brothers include Brahil, Landon, and Brosil.
Apprentices in the dormitory include Shonagar, Grodon, Falawny, Shelline, Jerint, and Lear while those apprentices who progress to journeyman include Kailey and Evenek. Domick is another promising new apprentice. Traller, a.k.a., Tuck, will be a new apprentice, to Nip.
MasterHarper Creline, the MasterHarper back when the weyrs were first found abandoned, wrote "The Question Song".
Fort Hold is…
…resided over by Lady Winalla and Lord Grogellan. Maxilant is their Harper; Grodon will follow him. Groghe is their third son. Benoria is his lady.
Sucho and Tortole argue over who is responsible for a fallen wall. Saday is Tortole's wife; they are parents to Valrol who is married to Pessia; Torlin is a brother; and, Klada is a sister.
Benden Weyr is…
…the only weyr still occupied. S'loner, the weyerleader, rides Chendith. Carola is the Werwoman and Hayara's niece who rides Feyrith. Stolla is the headwoman. Miata handles basic lessons. T'rell is the Weyrlingmaster. Tinamon is the Healer. S'bran rides Kilminth, a bronze. Calanuth. C'gan rides blue Tagath and is their Weyrsinger. M'odon is 110 years old and rides Nigarth, a brown. Milla.
More of the weyrlings (children born to the weyr) include Bravonner (Falloner's younger brother), Pragal, Jesken, Morif, Manora, and Larna is Carola's daughter (she'll bear F'lon a son, Fallarnon).
Other weyrlings and candidates found on Search who impress Feyrith's last clutch include Lytonal from Ruatha who becomes L'tol with brown Larth; Rangul becomes R'gul with bronze Hath; Sellel impresses as S'lel with a bronze, Tuenth; Falloner (the friend Rob makes who is also S'loner's son;) becomes F'lon with bronze Simanith; and, Jora impresses a queen, Nemorth.
Manora will have a son with F'lon as well, Famanoran. F'lar will Impress Mnementh, a bronze while F'nor Impresses Canth, a brown. K'net rides bronze Piyanth, B'rant rides Fanth, and B'refli rides Joruth, both browns.
G'ranad was the previous Weyrleader.
Fort Benden is…
…the only hold to still have access to dragons and their riders. Lady Hayara, his second wife, and Lord Maidir are its rulers. Raid, the oldest son, is next in line. Maizella is their oldest daughter and has the potential of a good voice; Cording will be her spouse. Hayon, Rasa, Naprila, Anta, Jonno, and Drevalla are more of their children at Benden. Evarel is harper there. Master Yorag is the Healer. Wonegal is the MasterVintner based there.
A belligerent cothold finds Targus and his sons Sheve, Sortie, Erkin, Mosser, and Brodo hostile to Robinton, but the woman of the house, Kulla, welcomes him.
Southern Boll was…
…second. Karenchok is their Harper. Matsen is the Seaholder. Laeala helps Healer Saretta with patients. Lord Sangel is its holder. Master Sev Ritecamp is the Station Master. Dalma is one of the young mothers in the wagon train. Rochers is one of the traders.
Pierie Hold is…
…where Merelan grew up and where Gennell sends the young family. Aunt Segonia (married to Dugall) gave Merelan her first training. Rantou is a timberman who doesn't want to be a stupid when his son arrives; Carral is his pregnant wife. Then Rantou has a grandson, Sebell.
Telgar Hold is…
…one of the largest Holds. Bristol is its Harper. Lord Tarathel is its holder. Larad is up next. Vendross and Harper Falawny are his mentors. Thella is Larad's half-sister. Macester leads Robinton's escort to Ruatha.
Ruatha Hold is…
…the third oldest Hold. Lord Ashmichel is its holder; Lady Adessa is his wife. Lessa is their young daughter born when Gennell finally explains his plans for Robinton's future. Kale is Ashmichel's son; Struan is the harper at his hold. Jez is one of Kale's handlers. Donkin is a younger nephew while Lady Gemma, also of Ruathan blood, is but one of many women espoused to Fax. Lady Tela is with her at Ruatha when Jax is born.
Tillek Hold is…
…named for James Tillek and held by Lord Melongel and Lady Juvana. The MasterFisher is Captain Gostol of the Northern Maid; he'll be succeeded by Idarolan. Vesna is Gostol's daughter and going for her second's ticket. Melongel has nine children including Oterel; Kasia is Lady Juvana's youngest sister. Holder Bourdon and his spouse, Brashia, are Kasia and Juvana's parents. Minnarden is its Master Harper; Mumolon and Ifor are his journeymen. Clostan is the Hold Healer with an excellent sense of dress and fit which he passes on to Robinton. Valden will take over a new hold in a forest. Kalem is a journeyman shipbuilder. Emry manages a Storage and Shipping hold. Merdine aims to be a ship's captain. I think Marlifin is an artist. Chochol is a worried holder.
Captain Gifflen and Kepiru are two of Fax's minions.
Captain Idarolan of Wave Eater and his second mate and wife, Lissala, rescue the young couple. Ellic is one of the crew.
Nerat Hold is…
…another of the holds where Robinton is sent.
Bitra Hold is…
…held by Lord Sifer.
Igen Hold has…
…Lord Tesner as its grumpy holder.
High Reaches Hold is…
…where Journeyman Robinton is sent to Master Lobirn. Lotricia is Lobirn's wife. Mallan is another Journeyman and born at High Reaches. Murfytwen holds at Murfy Hold. Masterminer Furlo works mainly copper there. Faroguy is the Lord Holder with his Lady Evelene. Fax is one of Faroguy's nephews with a profitable holding, gained by whippings and threats of eviction. Fargouy's sons, Farevene and Bargen, have been warned. Sitta, Triana, and Marcine are young ladies with whom Robinton dances.
Crom Hold is…
…held by Lord Lesselden and Lady Relna. Evenek is to be their harper but not to teach any harper nonsense. Germathen is the healer who steps in when he is beaten almost to death.
MasterSmith Fandarel withdraws all Masters from the contested seven Holds, and other Craftmasters followed.
Thread is a tangle of starving organisms that fall from the sky and devour anything organic in its path. Klah is a type of coffee. Fellis is a pain reliever made from a plant. To be Searched is to be chosen to try to Impress a dragon. The Charter is similar to our Constitution with the rights of all laid out. Holders are expected to allow harpers to teach all their tenants their rights. Shipfish are dolphins.
The Cover and Title
The cover has an orange sky with a paler orange sun and a blue dragon ready to spring off the cliff on which he's perched. I suspect it's C'gan on Tagath's back with Master Robinton standing inside a swirl of Tagath's tail, a glass of Benden white in one hand, a harp in another, and a wine bottle and another glass sitting on the clifftop in front of him.
The title introduces the pivotal man in the core of the series, The Masterharper of Pern.
My Take
This one is a biography which provides the background for the three primary stories of the Pern series: Dragonflight , 14, Dragonquest , 15, and then The White Dragon at 17. (The three books in the Harper Hall subseries take place between Dragonquest and The White Dragon.)
It's Robinton's background, the forces that shaped him, and how he came to be Masterharper of Pern. In some ways, Robinton is the pivotal character in this last half of the series. Yes, I know that F'lar and Lessa and the dragons are the whole point of it, but it's Robinton who connects everyone on Pern, who makes Pern and the Pernese mean something to me.
Don't get me wrong, I adore the dragonriders; they're what pulled me into the series in the first place, and I can't get enough about them. That said, the different factions of dragonriders have their point-of-view, there are the Lord Holders, and the craftsmen with their particular angles.
The fostering system finds the Lords sending their sons and some daughters to other Holds to learn how that Lord handles things. Those boys who are of the Blood have the chance to become the Lord Holder when the current Lord dies because the Conclave votes in the heir they believe will be the best ruler. The girls are sent out to find husbands, which is a bit of a comedown from the crew who came in with Dragonsdawn , 1. Having a craft based in your hold is prestigious and profitable, and fortunately, the craftspeople are also autonomous. It's a relatively good system with apprentices and journeymen learning their craft, whatever it may be. Only a complacency has crept in.
I wanna smack Petiron up one side and down the other, repeatedly. He's such a jerk. He has the most amazing son — writing compositions since he was three that the Hall has been sending out ever since. And I do adore how well the Harper Hall maneuvers around him while respecting that jerk.
It's a good bit of history of Robinton's birth, family life, education, loves, his exposure to the various holds, and the rise of anti-Harper malice with an explanation of other characters who play roles in the coming stories, from F'lon, F'lar and F'nor's father; Camo; Sebell; the man who discovered Menolly's abilities; and, a set-up of the Lord Holders. As well as the rise of Fax, and how he got his start in conquering Pern. It's a good set-up for events in Dragonflight .
The Story
Too many no longer believe Thread will fall and Harpers are falling into disrepute, derided, attacked, even beaten. The educators of Pern, they are being turned away from teaching the people of Pern their rights even as Fax conquers Hold after Hold, murdering as he goes.
It's a world the colonists would never recognize on too many counts. A world Robinton is determined to save.
The Characters
The characters range through the years, and I haven't made a distinction as to when they appear.
Robinton is a baby being born at the start. A boy who will become the glue that holds Pern together and a brilliant musician and politician with a taste for wine and the ladies. MasterComposer Petiron is an exacting harper and Rob's father — and quite jealous of Merelan, Rob's mother and a MasterSinger, spending any time with his own son.
The Harper Hall is…
…where Pern's musicians and healers are taught and is beholden to Fort Hold. The harpers are entertainers, news broadcasters, silent diplomats, judges, and teachers. MasterHarper Gennell is the leader; Betrice is a healer and his wife; Sirrie is another healer along with Ginia, a MasterHealer. Oldive is Ginia's assistant. Washell is the Master who teaches the youngest; Kubisa is another teacher. Lorra is the cook. Master Ogolly, the Archivist, teaches musical notations and the value of the mechanics of notes. Master Bosler teaches gitar. Master Gorazde teaches drums. Severeid is another master. Nip Kinsale is Gennell's spy who, well, nips in and out to rescue people.
Libby, Curtos, Lexey (Bosler's daughter), and Barba are more of the children; Rulyar is Searched (he becomes R'yar). Londik is senior boy soprano. Silvina is Lorra's daughter. Camo is the son Silvina bears. Saltor, the head guard, and Emfor, his burly assistant, are lent by Groghe to teach the harpers self-defense and how to hide their trail.
Halanna is a new student from Ista Hold housed with Isla, a foster mother for students from outside the Hall. Halibran is Halanna's father; her brothers include Brahil, Landon, and Brosil.
Apprentices in the dormitory include Shonagar, Grodon, Falawny, Shelline, Jerint, and Lear while those apprentices who progress to journeyman include Kailey and Evenek. Domick is another promising new apprentice. Traller, a.k.a., Tuck, will be a new apprentice, to Nip.
MasterHarper Creline, the MasterHarper back when the weyrs were first found abandoned, wrote "The Question Song".
Fort Hold is…
…resided over by Lady Winalla and Lord Grogellan. Maxilant is their Harper; Grodon will follow him. Groghe is their third son. Benoria is his lady.
Sucho and Tortole argue over who is responsible for a fallen wall. Saday is Tortole's wife; they are parents to Valrol who is married to Pessia; Torlin is a brother; and, Klada is a sister.
Benden Weyr is…
…the only weyr still occupied. S'loner, the weyerleader, rides Chendith. Carola is the Werwoman and Hayara's niece who rides Feyrith. Stolla is the headwoman. Miata handles basic lessons. T'rell is the Weyrlingmaster. Tinamon is the Healer. S'bran rides Kilminth, a bronze. Calanuth. C'gan rides blue Tagath and is their Weyrsinger. M'odon is 110 years old and rides Nigarth, a brown. Milla.
More of the weyrlings (children born to the weyr) include Bravonner (Falloner's younger brother), Pragal, Jesken, Morif, Manora, and Larna is Carola's daughter (she'll bear F'lon a son, Fallarnon).
Other weyrlings and candidates found on Search who impress Feyrith's last clutch include Lytonal from Ruatha who becomes L'tol with brown Larth; Rangul becomes R'gul with bronze Hath; Sellel impresses as S'lel with a bronze, Tuenth; Falloner (the friend Rob makes who is also S'loner's son;) becomes F'lon with bronze Simanith; and, Jora impresses a queen, Nemorth.
Manora will have a son with F'lon as well, Famanoran. F'lar will Impress Mnementh, a bronze while F'nor Impresses Canth, a brown. K'net rides bronze Piyanth, B'rant rides Fanth, and B'refli rides Joruth, both browns.
G'ranad was the previous Weyrleader.
Fort Benden is…
…the only hold to still have access to dragons and their riders. Lady Hayara, his second wife, and Lord Maidir are its rulers. Raid, the oldest son, is next in line. Maizella is their oldest daughter and has the potential of a good voice; Cording will be her spouse. Hayon, Rasa, Naprila, Anta, Jonno, and Drevalla are more of their children at Benden. Evarel is harper there. Master Yorag is the Healer. Wonegal is the MasterVintner based there.
A belligerent cothold finds Targus and his sons Sheve, Sortie, Erkin, Mosser, and Brodo hostile to Robinton, but the woman of the house, Kulla, welcomes him.
Southern Boll was…
…second. Karenchok is their Harper. Matsen is the Seaholder. Laeala helps Healer Saretta with patients. Lord Sangel is its holder. Master Sev Ritecamp is the Station Master. Dalma is one of the young mothers in the wagon train. Rochers is one of the traders.
Pierie Hold is…
…where Merelan grew up and where Gennell sends the young family. Aunt Segonia (married to Dugall) gave Merelan her first training. Rantou is a timberman who doesn't want to be a stupid when his son arrives; Carral is his pregnant wife. Then Rantou has a grandson, Sebell.
Telgar Hold is…
…one of the largest Holds. Bristol is its Harper. Lord Tarathel is its holder. Larad is up next. Vendross and Harper Falawny are his mentors. Thella is Larad's half-sister. Macester leads Robinton's escort to Ruatha.
Ruatha Hold is…
…the third oldest Hold. Lord Ashmichel is its holder; Lady Adessa is his wife. Lessa is their young daughter born when Gennell finally explains his plans for Robinton's future. Kale is Ashmichel's son; Struan is the harper at his hold. Jez is one of Kale's handlers. Donkin is a younger nephew while Lady Gemma, also of Ruathan blood, is but one of many women espoused to Fax. Lady Tela is with her at Ruatha when Jax is born.
Tillek Hold is…
…named for James Tillek and held by Lord Melongel and Lady Juvana. The MasterFisher is Captain Gostol of the Northern Maid; he'll be succeeded by Idarolan. Vesna is Gostol's daughter and going for her second's ticket. Melongel has nine children including Oterel; Kasia is Lady Juvana's youngest sister. Holder Bourdon and his spouse, Brashia, are Kasia and Juvana's parents. Minnarden is its Master Harper; Mumolon and Ifor are his journeymen. Clostan is the Hold Healer with an excellent sense of dress and fit which he passes on to Robinton. Valden will take over a new hold in a forest. Kalem is a journeyman shipbuilder. Emry manages a Storage and Shipping hold. Merdine aims to be a ship's captain. I think Marlifin is an artist. Chochol is a worried holder.
Captain Gifflen and Kepiru are two of Fax's minions.
Captain Idarolan of Wave Eater and his second mate and wife, Lissala, rescue the young couple. Ellic is one of the crew.
Nerat Hold is…
…another of the holds where Robinton is sent.
Bitra Hold is…
…held by Lord Sifer.
Igen Hold has…
…Lord Tesner as its grumpy holder.
High Reaches Hold is…
…where Journeyman Robinton is sent to Master Lobirn. Lotricia is Lobirn's wife. Mallan is another Journeyman and born at High Reaches. Murfytwen holds at Murfy Hold. Masterminer Furlo works mainly copper there. Faroguy is the Lord Holder with his Lady Evelene. Fax is one of Faroguy's nephews with a profitable holding, gained by whippings and threats of eviction. Fargouy's sons, Farevene and Bargen, have been warned. Sitta, Triana, and Marcine are young ladies with whom Robinton dances.
Crom Hold is…
…held by Lord Lesselden and Lady Relna. Evenek is to be their harper but not to teach any harper nonsense. Germathen is the healer who steps in when he is beaten almost to death.
MasterSmith Fandarel withdraws all Masters from the contested seven Holds, and other Craftmasters followed.
Thread is a tangle of starving organisms that fall from the sky and devour anything organic in its path. Klah is a type of coffee. Fellis is a pain reliever made from a plant. To be Searched is to be chosen to try to Impress a dragon. The Charter is similar to our Constitution with the rights of all laid out. Holders are expected to allow harpers to teach all their tenants their rights. Shipfish are dolphins.
The Cover and Title
The cover has an orange sky with a paler orange sun and a blue dragon ready to spring off the cliff on which he's perched. I suspect it's C'gan on Tagath's back with Master Robinton standing inside a swirl of Tagath's tail, a glass of Benden white in one hand, a harp in another, and a wine bottle and another glass sitting on the clifftop in front of him.
The title introduces the pivotal man in the core of the series, The Masterharper of Pern.
June 7, 2010
I've realized that Ms McCaffrey's books offend me in exactly the same way the Sex and the City movies offend me: that the main characters and their dysfunctional relationships are supposed to be somehow sympathetic, if not outright aspirational. In this book, Robinton himself is less obnoxious than her usual main character (even if I thought the one scene where he compared holding his mom to holding his wife really Freudian and gross,) but Merelan is excessively odious: trying to hide his talents from his horrible father (and there's another terrible relationship the author champions) but getting upset with said father when he doesn't realize the boy's potential. The worst bit was when, offended that Petiron couldn't remember their son's age, she took the kid and ran off to another hold for months. Screw being an adult and actually talking about your problems with your mate. Run away, and all your problems will be solved.
Oh, and don't get me started on the treatment of Hallana. My views on spanking aside, the fact that her father, who'd spoiled her her entire life, decides that he's finally going to raise his hand to her when she's an adolescent, and then have this treatment be effective, beggars belief.
I am so glad I am through with McCaffrey after this book. She's an awful, misogynistic writer whose books are formulaic and, at least in my opinion, dull.
Oh, and don't get me started on the treatment of Hallana. My views on spanking aside, the fact that her father, who'd spoiled her her entire life, decides that he's finally going to raise his hand to her when she's an adolescent, and then have this treatment be effective, beggars belief.
I am so glad I am through with McCaffrey after this book. She's an awful, misogynistic writer whose books are formulaic and, at least in my opinion, dull.
November 3, 2009
A basic premise of the Dragonsinger Trilogy is that women were not trained as harpers--so Menolly is breaking down all kinds of gender barriers on Pern when she goes to Harper Hall. Now in this book we're supposed to accept that Robinton's mother was a renowned harper? I had a hard time getting over that MAJOR continuity issue...and the rest of the book wasn't very interesting either.
July 2, 2017
Loved it!
November 17, 2017
MasterHarper of Pern showed improvement in plotting and characterization compared to the few books published prior. I think this was largely helped by the fact that it's a prequel to Dragonflight, so all of the big plot elements have already been established.
Robinton is a major character found in the first few Pern novels and any story that takes place in the Ninth Pass timeline of Pern. He's the MasterHarper, in charge of Harper Hall, has a fondness for red wine and friendship, and is a talented and beloved leader. MasterHarper of Pern provides background on his upbringing and the events leading up to Lord Fax's invasions in the northern holds of Pern, detailed in the beginning of Dragonflight.
This is a character that never seemed particularly divisive among fans, considering other characters of Pern have gotten criticized for their more traditional treatment of women.
About half of the book details Robinton's youth, primarily focused on his poor relationship with his father, Petiron. He is very close with his mother, Merelan. I got Freudian echoes in many of the scenes between Robinton and Merelan. I am highly doubtful McCaffrey intended anything in that manner, but their mother-son relationship felt off to me.
Additionally, I got the impression that Petiron didn't like Robinton because he wanted Merelan all to himself, whereas later in the book it tries to frame it as Petiron was jealous of Robinton's musical abilities. Petiron didn't really act that way. Didn't try to sabotage Robinton's musical abilities or career. It was also weird how Robinton and Petiron all of a sudden came to terms in one paragraph.
The latter half of the book has Robinton's first serious romance, with Kasia, and his dealings as a journeyman harper. The dragon rider F'lon (father to F'lar and F'nor of Dragonflight) is friends with Robinton since youth, and he pops in and out of the storyline.
Eventually, Robinton does become MasterHarper, but it's close to the end. The last parts of this book run parallel to Dragonflight. In one way, it was interesting to have a different pov of the Ruathan Hold scene, but on the other hand, seemed way too convenient because it didn't need much originality.
Overall, I though the pacing was better that Dragonseye and The Dolphins of Pern. Probably because it was truly focused on Robinton, and in general Robinton tends to be involved in a lot of politics and interesting events.
Because much of this plot is already established, many of the elements don't have any surprise. We know Robinton will become MasterHarper and we know what will happen to Fax. We also know Thread is going to return. It doesn't give a whole lot of originality, but I liked reading about Robinton.
There were some scenes early in the book, with Halanna, a young singer, that didn't sit so right with me. I chalk it up to McCaffrey's old-fashioned ideas about how to deal with strong-willed women that's pervaded the whole series, even though in the later published books it has lightened up. Essentially, Halanna is being a brat. Petiron slaps her. She calls her dad and brothers because she's mad, and then her dad spends three days hitting her until she decides to act right, and her brothers agree that's the only way to make her behave.
Lastly, MasterHarper of Pern reneges on prior world-building when it comes to women as harpers. Robinton's mother is a MasterSinger, and there are multiple women acting as harpers. However, over about two generations, all the women have disappeared, at the start of the ya Harper Hall trilogy featuring Menolly. There's a few sloppy excuses: Robinton tried to find girls but couldn't, and an older female harper just wanted to attend to domestic duties. Considering Harper Hall fights to save traditions, it doesn't make sense. Why break with the world-building for this book?
Robinton is a major character found in the first few Pern novels and any story that takes place in the Ninth Pass timeline of Pern. He's the MasterHarper, in charge of Harper Hall, has a fondness for red wine and friendship, and is a talented and beloved leader. MasterHarper of Pern provides background on his upbringing and the events leading up to Lord Fax's invasions in the northern holds of Pern, detailed in the beginning of Dragonflight.
This is a character that never seemed particularly divisive among fans, considering other characters of Pern have gotten criticized for their more traditional treatment of women.
About half of the book details Robinton's youth, primarily focused on his poor relationship with his father, Petiron. He is very close with his mother, Merelan. I got Freudian echoes in many of the scenes between Robinton and Merelan. I am highly doubtful McCaffrey intended anything in that manner, but their mother-son relationship felt off to me.
Additionally, I got the impression that Petiron didn't like Robinton because he wanted Merelan all to himself, whereas later in the book it tries to frame it as Petiron was jealous of Robinton's musical abilities. Petiron didn't really act that way. Didn't try to sabotage Robinton's musical abilities or career. It was also weird how Robinton and Petiron all of a sudden came to terms in one paragraph.
The latter half of the book has Robinton's first serious romance, with Kasia, and his dealings as a journeyman harper. The dragon rider F'lon (father to F'lar and F'nor of Dragonflight) is friends with Robinton since youth, and he pops in and out of the storyline.
Eventually, Robinton does become MasterHarper, but it's close to the end. The last parts of this book run parallel to Dragonflight. In one way, it was interesting to have a different pov of the Ruathan Hold scene, but on the other hand, seemed way too convenient because it didn't need much originality.
Overall, I though the pacing was better that Dragonseye and The Dolphins of Pern. Probably because it was truly focused on Robinton, and in general Robinton tends to be involved in a lot of politics and interesting events.
Because much of this plot is already established, many of the elements don't have any surprise. We know Robinton will become MasterHarper and we know what will happen to Fax. We also know Thread is going to return. It doesn't give a whole lot of originality, but I liked reading about Robinton.
There were some scenes early in the book, with Halanna, a young singer, that didn't sit so right with me. I chalk it up to McCaffrey's old-fashioned ideas about how to deal with strong-willed women that's pervaded the whole series, even though in the later published books it has lightened up. Essentially, Halanna is being a brat. Petiron slaps her. She calls her dad and brothers because she's mad, and then her dad spends three days hitting her until she decides to act right, and her brothers agree that's the only way to make her behave.
Lastly, MasterHarper of Pern reneges on prior world-building when it comes to women as harpers. Robinton's mother is a MasterSinger, and there are multiple women acting as harpers. However, over about two generations, all the women have disappeared, at the start of the ya Harper Hall trilogy featuring Menolly. There's a few sloppy excuses: Robinton tried to find girls but couldn't, and an older female harper just wanted to attend to domestic duties. Considering Harper Hall fights to save traditions, it doesn't make sense. Why break with the world-building for this book?
November 16, 2021
DNF at around a fifth to go. This used to be one of my favourite Pern books, strange how things can change.
This is basically the David Copperfield of Master Robinton from the main series. We go from his birth and upbringing in the main Harper Hall until the opening of Dragonflight (which I didn't quite get to this time).
Honestly I used to love this book. It might have been my favourite or at least in the top 3 anyway. This time it was only a remembrance of how much I liked it that kept me going as far as I did. It is almost like a fan fiction of the character, that retconned the original series to make him look even better than he did before. He is the handsome and a child genius. He talks to dragons. He's best friends or interacts with almost every major character from the series. We would have been a dragon rider but they weren't searching when he was of age. To be fair some of it makes sense and is in character but other parts just makes you roll your eyes and almost feel uncomfortable.
The first half is about his childhood and adolescence and mainly revolves around how much he loves his mother and how his father is jealous of him. This isn't actually too bad if you ignore the continuity errors (which are everywhere in the whole book). However the main take from it was that he wanted to have a loving and supporting father. What does he do once he has a child of his own? He ignores it and leaves it to be raised by the child's mother because it has cognitive issues and can't appreciate all the things he loves. Oh he is a nice guy though, he brings him toys sometimes.
The second half is just him being involved in everything that has the slightest significance to main series. He's basically holding the continent together. And has a tragedy to explain why he's single. That's it.
No idea how I used to like this and I doubt I will ever read it again. Such a let down that has grown even worse as I've thought about it. I had rounded up to 3 stars for nostalgia's sake but no, it's lucky to even have 2 stars.
Please see this and other reviews at https://barrysbloodybooks.home.blog/
This is basically the David Copperfield of Master Robinton from the main series. We go from his birth and upbringing in the main Harper Hall until the opening of Dragonflight (which I didn't quite get to this time).
Honestly I used to love this book. It might have been my favourite or at least in the top 3 anyway. This time it was only a remembrance of how much I liked it that kept me going as far as I did. It is almost like a fan fiction of the character, that retconned the original series to make him look even better than he did before. He is the handsome and a child genius. He talks to dragons. He's best friends or interacts with almost every major character from the series. We would have been a dragon rider but they weren't searching when he was of age. To be fair some of it makes sense and is in character but other parts just makes you roll your eyes and almost feel uncomfortable.
The first half is about his childhood and adolescence and mainly revolves around how much he loves his mother and how his father is jealous of him. This isn't actually too bad if you ignore the continuity errors (which are everywhere in the whole book). However the main take from it was that he wanted to have a loving and supporting father. What does he do once he has a child of his own? He ignores it and leaves it to be raised by the child's mother because it has cognitive issues and can't appreciate all the things he loves. Oh he is a nice guy though, he brings him toys sometimes.
The second half is just him being involved in everything that has the slightest significance to main series. He's basically holding the continent together. And has a tragedy to explain why he's single. That's it.
No idea how I used to like this and I doubt I will ever read it again. Such a let down that has grown even worse as I've thought about it. I had rounded up to 3 stars for nostalgia's sake but no, it's lucky to even have 2 stars.
Please see this and other reviews at https://barrysbloodybooks.home.blog/
January 4, 2009
Utter tripe, mangles a previously interesting character by making him a perfect author insert.
September 27, 2019
Not a book you should read if you haven’t read the Pern series. Probably not a book you should read if you have read the Pern series.
I’ll say up front that I usually hate late series retcons when a character less central at the beginning is later shown to have secretly been present and pulling strings all along. Ender’s shadow is the archetype of this, and the Masterharper of Pern is another sad example.
It hurts because I love Robinton, but the changes (he always could speak to dragons? Women were only discouraged from the Harper hall for one generation? Jora was the only weyerwoman whose queen didn’t fly? Robinton was at Ruatha!?!?!?!?!?!) did more to diminish the series than enhance it.
I’ll say up front that I usually hate late series retcons when a character less central at the beginning is later shown to have secretly been present and pulling strings all along. Ender’s shadow is the archetype of this, and the Masterharper of Pern is another sad example.
It hurts because I love Robinton, but the changes (he always could speak to dragons? Women were only discouraged from the Harper hall for one generation? Jora was the only weyerwoman whose queen didn’t fly? Robinton was at Ruatha!?!?!?!?!?!) did more to diminish the series than enhance it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2019
This book covered way too much time and in too much detail. McCaffrey wrote an introduction stating that she wrote this book to explain some things that had happened in Pern before the books she had already wrote. I didn't feel like this gave any needed material to the world of Pern. Yes, we learn some of the specifics of events that were alluded to, but none of them are critical. This book had potential to be interesting even with this issue as Robinton is a fascinating character, yet somehow, his story fell flat. I think it was partly the shear amount of time covered.
December 12, 2024
2.5 stars
I couldn't bring myself to rate this lower, but as the first Pern book I've read in decades--about my favorite character, no less--it was a disappointment. As long as it was, it still kind of just felt like an outline rather than a fleshed out story. And I really didn't like all the mean talk about how fat and useless Jora was or the treatment of Robinton's "simple" son.
Still, it did take me back enough that I'm thinking of rereading the earlier books that drew me into this world so thoroughly I wished it was real. Maybe those books will hold up. I hope so.
I couldn't bring myself to rate this lower, but as the first Pern book I've read in decades--about my favorite character, no less--it was a disappointment. As long as it was, it still kind of just felt like an outline rather than a fleshed out story. And I really didn't like all the mean talk about how fat and useless Jora was or the treatment of Robinton's "simple" son.
Still, it did take me back enough that I'm thinking of rereading the earlier books that drew me into this world so thoroughly I wished it was real. Maybe those books will hold up. I hope so.
February 27, 2025
Found the unabridged audiobook and gave it a listen. I must've read this book at least one dozen, if not two dozen, times in my youth. (Listen, whippersnappers, eBooks weren't a thing and our library was small back then, so re-reading favorites was common.) I loved Pern, I loved dragons, I love Robinton. These are all still true.
Re-reading as a more critical adult, things that I didn't notice, or didn't care about, as a kid are things that irk me now. This book retcons several major Pernese events, plays havoc with the timeline, breaks canon, contradicts itself, and makes Rob even more of a Gary Stu than he was previously. Rob is suddenly involved in situations that have huge implications for Pern and his relationships, but he is never noticed and never discusses it (because he was shoehorned in after the fact rather than having it be a planned, organic thing).
The book stomps all over the Harper Hall trilogy in general and Menolly in particular. Many of the 'firsts' are retroactively first done by Robinton, sometimes down to word-for-word descriptions being pulled from the original trilogy. Part of this is likely the same poor continuity that has plagued the series from its start, part of it is likely due to the fact that the Harper Hall gets the spotlight when the Weyr doesn't, leaving so much ground already covered and making repetition somewhat inevitable (and other crafts/halls/holds woefully under-developed).
Rob's relationship with his mother is decidedly co-dependent and creepy. Its understandable, to an extent, given what they have in common and that they weathered an abusive relationship together. But I can't think of a situation in which saying the feel of a lover in your arms is just like holding your mom is, uh, healthy.
This is a book for the folks die-hard enough to read every Pern novel but not die-hard enough to worship the canon.
Re-reading as a more critical adult, things that I didn't notice, or didn't care about, as a kid are things that irk me now. This book retcons several major Pernese events, plays havoc with the timeline, breaks canon, contradicts itself, and makes Rob even more of a Gary Stu than he was previously. Rob is suddenly involved in situations that have huge implications for Pern and his relationships, but he is never noticed and never discusses it (because he was shoehorned in after the fact rather than having it be a planned, organic thing).
The book stomps all over the Harper Hall trilogy in general and Menolly in particular. Many of the 'firsts' are retroactively first done by Robinton, sometimes down to word-for-word descriptions being pulled from the original trilogy. Part of this is likely the same poor continuity that has plagued the series from its start, part of it is likely due to the fact that the Harper Hall gets the spotlight when the Weyr doesn't, leaving so much ground already covered and making repetition somewhat inevitable (and other crafts/halls/holds woefully under-developed).
Rob's relationship with his mother is decidedly co-dependent and creepy. Its understandable, to an extent, given what they have in common and that they weathered an abusive relationship together. But I can't think of a situation in which saying the feel of a lover in your arms is just like holding your mom is, uh, healthy.
This is a book for the folks die-hard enough to read every Pern novel but not die-hard enough to worship the canon.
June 16, 2011
The Masterharper of Pern by science fiction queen Anne McCaffrey is one of her best works. She tells the life story of the great Masterharper Robinton, from his troubled childhood to his musical genius. He is a favourite character in the Pern series.
Would it be wrong of me to hijack my own review and compare the way Anne writes about Robinton with the way her son writes about his own favourite character Kindan. Anne has passed the storywriting baton to her son Todd McCaffrey who has (imo) mutilated Pern. One of his worse characters is Kindan, who permeates every single book written by Todd, not unlike how Robinton permeates the books written by Anne.
This book allows us to see the natural talents of this leading man, allows us to understand why so many men and women put so much faith in him and love him so much. Anne also shows restraint, she hints that Robinton could have been a dragon rider but leaves us to dream. Compare this to Todd who put his own Kindan on the hatching grounds three times and cannot resist making him weryling master and involves him in a mating flight despite never impressing a dragon.
Another top notch book by Anne McCaffrey.
Would it be wrong of me to hijack my own review and compare the way Anne writes about Robinton with the way her son writes about his own favourite character Kindan. Anne has passed the storywriting baton to her son Todd McCaffrey who has (imo) mutilated Pern. One of his worse characters is Kindan, who permeates every single book written by Todd, not unlike how Robinton permeates the books written by Anne.
This book allows us to see the natural talents of this leading man, allows us to understand why so many men and women put so much faith in him and love him so much. Anne also shows restraint, she hints that Robinton could have been a dragon rider but leaves us to dream. Compare this to Todd who put his own Kindan on the hatching grounds three times and cannot resist making him weryling master and involves him in a mating flight despite never impressing a dragon.
Another top notch book by Anne McCaffrey.
July 14, 2009
McCaffrey offers a prelude to her original Dragonrider novels by revisiting a main character of those stories, Masterharper Robinton. However this might be more interesting if he was more of a protagonist and less of an observer to events happening about Pern. This sort of treatment cumulates at the end of the book when Robinton finds himself present to one of the most important scenes of the entire series, a Forest Gump like insertion into the storyline. An ok story, but could have been so much more.
October 13, 2012
I've read all the Pern books and think they're basically okay, though they do tend to have a YA feel about them. Her characters are all interesting but don't have any depth to them. What she's good at is world-building. The only books in this series that I've ever re-read are the two featuring Menolly, whose story is more interesting than most. Robinton is, of course, a beloved character by that time, so it was interesting to read of his early life, but if you've read the other books, you already know most of it. So it was a fast read without much to linger over or think about.
October 26, 2024
I have read and reread Masterharper of Pern many times. It is one of my favorites in the series tracing the life of the renowned Robinton from birth to mastersinger Meralon and hyper-critical composer Petiron through his nurturing and protecting the gifted boy by the entire craft hall from his father, jealous of anyone taking the time and energy of his wife from him. Robinton moves from one place to another gaining experience and wisdom dealing with lords, dragonriders, common folk as he is groomed to become the Master of Harper Hall.
February 10, 2013
A nice addititon to the Pern series. The beginning of the saga from a different point of view. As Robinton's life story is told, you meet old friends at the beginning of their lives and careers and the whole story that eventually starts with Lessa becoming a weyrwoman at Benden, gets some more background.
Not the best of the series, not even very essential, but a nice little extra.
Not the best of the series, not even very essential, but a nice little extra.
December 19, 2008
I love Robinton, and I really, really wanted to love this book. It was ok ... but only ok. I wish she'd get someone else to check for historical inconsistency as it bugs me immensely when it pops up.
January 17, 2022
Like crack, not particularly good but quite addictive
November 29, 2020
I really liked the book. It's a insight in the life of the famous masterharper Robinton. It is really something to read afrer you read the main series although it could also be used as an intro. But I bet it's more fun to read after.
Spoilers from here.
Personally I really liked the inside in his story. It starts in his childhood and is really innocent and just set to show his talents. (And how sucky his dad is.) From halfway the book the book get's more depressing and takes a turn with a lot of death and the development of war. I struggled a lot with the way the birth of his "simple" son was described. I understand it's an older book and written by an older writer but it felt really ableist and downgrading to me. After that there was also a small miracle with a character that died and suddenly was alive and working again 😅 o well. Beside that I enjoyed reading it.
Spoilers from here.
Personally I really liked the inside in his story. It starts in his childhood and is really innocent and just set to show his talents. (And how sucky his dad is.) From halfway the book the book get's more depressing and takes a turn with a lot of death and the development of war. I struggled a lot with the way the birth of his "simple" son was described. I understand it's an older book and written by an older writer but it felt really ableist and downgrading to me. After that there was also a small miracle with a character that died and suddenly was alive and working again 😅 o well. Beside that I enjoyed reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2025
I love the Pern series and have gotten to know and love the characters. Masterharper Robinton has always been a favorite of mine. In this book, Anne McCaffrey writes his biography, from his life as a child all the way until he officially becomes The Masterharper. It was so great to get Robinton's back story and see him develop into the man he became.
A lot of people who reviewed this had a hissy fit about some of the "inconsistency" about Robinton's mother. It did not bother me enough to hate the book.
A lot of people who reviewed this had a hissy fit about some of the "inconsistency" about Robinton's mother. It did not bother me enough to hate the book.
April 7, 2020
(Actually, I’m not 100% I’ve read it, but I THINK I have. Writing this “review” in 2020!)
February 20, 2022
Love these books. They are old friends to be reread.
April 13, 2025
a bit random but i liked it anyway
July 21, 2025
This is the dumbest shit ever. Entertaining, but so unnecessary.
July 12, 2024
Maybe 2.5 stars. There was a lot of fun setup, but there was even more that made me say Nope.
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